The Little Rabbit
by carnival-cafe
Summary: After Ayato is saved from being killed at the hands of Shinohara by Kaneki, it was only a matter of time before the lines of their professional relationship became blurred. With his heart faltering and defences crumbling, Ayato tries to understand what it means to be cared by someone and be in love with them in return.


**The Little Rabbit**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters in this story they belong respectfully to Sui Ishida.

**Warning:** Themes of shounen-ai/yaoi/homosexual relationships and whatever, you know all that good stuff, fluffy and also some mild OOC-ness, timeskip's… If any of this bothers you then you have the option of not reading.

**Music:** "Run Away" by Alexandros

**A/N:** Arghh, I love Ayato you guys… And also this has been in the making for quite sometime so I'm super happy I got to write something finally. Here's Kaneki x Ayato. Prepare yourself for the angst!

x

It came as a shock to Ayato, how Kaneki Ken came to his rescue in the nick of time that day. He'd been moments away from being sliced in half at the hands of the dove wearing his father's kakuja as a piece of body armor. Mere seconds away from joining his parents in the afterlife...

Ayato didn't know if being saved from Shinohara had been Kaneki's true intentions at the time, considering he was drunk on bloodlust thanks to his developing kakuja but he was still alive nonetheless after that encounter. And although he hated to admit it, Ayato truly was grateful for the rescue but still inevitably ashamed to have been caught up in such a predicament regardless.

His emotions were a conflicting matter to begin with at best, escalating during some of the most inconvenient times and after discovering the fate that befell his father; Ayato couldn't help but feel a hundred times worse than before. Thankful he was to still be alive and yet all the more enraged and bitter than ever as well. So much for hoping that his old man had still been alive all these years… So much for hoping that he would have been the one to pummel Kirishima Arata to the ground and beat him senseless for leaving his sister and him alone that night…

His run in's with both enemy ghouls and doves increased significantly after the ghoul detention center jailbreak no thanks to him and his wild temper. And it didn't help that his interactions with Kaneki felt different compared to the past. The underlining dislike still existed but on top of it, Ayato couldn't quite put his finger on the second emotion stirring within him now.

To avoid getting his own men involved, if not killed in action due to his reckless ventures, Ayato traveled alone during his killing spree. Tatara, Eto and Noro made no comment, the latter never saying anything at all. He figured that so long as it was him alone causing trouble, that it was fine. They weren't wasting any bodies and he was a rogue at heart despite his affiliation to Aogiri Tree.

Although his fellow executives didn't have much to say, their newest addition wasn't as tolerant on the matter and before long that said individual, his assigned partner, eventually cornered him in their converted lounge space.

"Let go of me fucking eyepatch!" Ayato screamed at the top of his lungs, hardly enjoying how the other had him pinned down to the couch.

Kaneki stared blankly yet held the younger down almost effortlessly. It infuriated Ayato to no end and whatever limbs he had outside of the half ghoul's grasp, he jerked about wildly but to no avail it seemed. "Why should I?" Kaneki asked, tilting his head at the younger teen in what seemed to be innocent wonder but Ayato thought otherwise. "Why should I let you go when we both know you're just going to end up killing more people outside of our missions."

Ayato growled in response, his teeth gritting tightly. "And why should my business be of any concern to you?" He countered. The half ghoul had no right, he thought. "Just stay out of my way!" He jerked forward, intending to head butt Kaneki in the face but the half ghoul leaned back just in time before the collision could happen.

With some distance placed between them, his grip still tight, Kaneki continued to observe Ayato closely. "We're in the same organization. We're partners and whatever you do will reflect back on us…" He tried to explain.

Partners? Ayato wanted to laugh. Better yet, the very idea of associating with Kaneki Ken any more than he had to sounded like a terrible thought and yet here they were, in a compromising position. His emotions were running wild again and Ayato especially didn't like the way there was warmth pooling in his stomach only to travel outwards and turn his body hot the more he looked up at the other ghoul. Go away, he thought, make it go away…

Still, the way the other worded his explanation left a bad taste in Ayato's mouth. "Oh, so now you're concerned about our reputation?" He clicked his tongue, irritated. "News flash! We're enemies of the fucking doves and all of humanity and if you've already forgotten, we've been kicking down their doors and slaughtering the lot of them one government building after another, ward after fucking ward!"

For a second, Kaneki was taken aback by the younger's biting words. There was truth to them, he couldn't deny it nor argue. Yet what saddened him the most was how far along the teen was plummeting into the philosophy that made up Aogiri Tree. The world was wrong. No single species was truly evil—both, humans and ghouls had their fair share of rotten individuals but also good ones as well. And Ayato didn't seem to agree. Frowning deeply, Kaneki let go of the other's wrist, his right hand traveling up the length of his chest until it settled against his cheek. Ayato eye's widened as a result and he stiffened up considerably in reaction. It made sense, Kaneki thought and yet he couldn't see himself backing out now that he had the younger ghoul's full attention. He honestly rather liked the idea of having Ayato's eyes on him and nowhere else.

Fingers caressing Ayato's cheek softly, he stared down at him, gently this time. "Your anger is worse than before..." He noted, steering the conversation now.

"And why should you be concerned?" Ayato repeated, his voice trembling slightly, confused as to why this was happening. Better yet, how?

"Because I just am." Kaneki replied simply but that wasn't enough to sate the other's confusion. If anything, it was making it worse.

"What the fuck kind of answer is that?!" The younger ghoul spat.

"Just calm down would you?"

Ayato growled deeply, his muscles tensing now. "No! I especially won't, just because you asked!" He exclaimed, having had enough now as he shifted his weight around in an attempt to land a hard punch square on the half ghoul's jaw with his free hand.

Unfortunately for Ayato, Kaneki was intuitive enough to dodge his attack yet again, leaning back once more, just enough to avoid it but also dive back to capture his hand again and pin it down above the teen's head. With Ayato restrained once more, Kaneki took in the intense glare the teen wore—anger written as always if not significantly more than earlier. It didn't suit him, Kaneki frowned and he began to wonder whether or not there were other expressions that Ayato had. There had to be, right? Kaneki thought, and suddenly, as if moving on its own his body lowered down, hands working around until he had the teen in an awkward embrace.

Now Ayato was truly shocked out of his mind. It didn't make any sense to him. None of the half ghoul's actions were readable to him and he could hardly understand how their past interactions could have led up to this happening in the first place.

Mouth falling open slightly, Ayato felt faint of breath. The intimacy in the way Kaneki held him made his head spin, and it didn't help how badly his heart was pounding in his chest. In the end, Ayato reacted in the only way he knew how to, and within seconds, he exploded. "Let go of me! Stop hugging me! Damn it eyepatch!" He exclaimed at the top of lungs.

"Just calm down." Kaneki hushed but Ayato's thrashing only seemed to increase. In order to combat this, Kaneki's embrace tightened. In a gentle voice he continued to speak, hoping, that somehow the other would eventually listen to him. "Tell me, what's really bothering you."

"At the moment it's you!" Ayato shouted in the half ghoul's ear and he hoped to god that he managed to damage the other's hearing in some way. It only made the older wince though and Ayato snarled in disappointment.

"No, that's not it." Kaneki retaliated shortly, struggling somewhat as Ayato's movements grew desperate now.

"And why should I tell you? Huh?!" Ayato growled, attempting another head butt but Kaneki met him this time, bashing their foreheads together and pressing down hard until the back of the teen's head was rested against the couch cushion again.

Ayato gasped as a result of the impact, not once considering that Kaneki would do such a thing and it caused the throb in his head to worsen even more no thanks to the idiot. With Kaneki restraining him completely, he felt himself falling—his mind on the verge of losing consciousness, his will to keep fighting depleting as the half ghoul's forehead, moved softly against his in a somewhat soothing manner.

"Fucking eyepatch!" Ayato exclaimed with a gasp, short of breath as his voice began to quiver. He was tired, exhausted in fact and he didn't even realize it. "L-let me go..." he barely managed to whisper before his eyelids fell shut and his world turned black.

X

X

Waking up in another person's bed, was quite possibly one of the most frightening moments Ayato had ever experienced in his young teenage life. The moment he discovered where he was and who he was lying next to, his heart just about stopped in its tracks, and he froze as he began to panic inside and check if his virginity was still intact. Other than the beating in his skull, no other area of his body seemed to be in pain. Although he took a moment to sigh with relief at the fact that no intrusion was made, he couldn't ignore the fact that wherever he was, wasn't the lounge or his room.

With some reluctance Ayato turned head only to be met by the sight of—low and behold, Kaneki Ken; sitting up, wide awake and with a book in his hand, unsurprisingly…

"Ah, I see you're finally awake." The older of the two commented, his eyes still glued to the page he was reading.

Ayato stiffened at the other's response to him and glared considerably. "What the fuck am I doing here eyepatch?" He growled at the half ghoul threateningly.

For a moment, Ayato's actions reminded Kaneki of a cornered animal, preparing itself before dealing the first attack but he didn't tense, or rather he was unaffected by the other's violent disposition.

From the corner of his eye, Kaneki gave the teen a single look and then shrugged before turning back to the paragraph at hand. Once done digesting the information, he then turned the page. "There's really no need for you to yell." He replied with a short sigh, his eyes skimming over the words in front of him.

His cool demeanor though, of course rubbed Ayato the wrong way and it was only a matter of seconds before he exploded. One, two, three… "To hell with you!" Ayato exclaimed, shifting to sit up on his side with the intention to tackle the other off the bed they sat on.

But as usual now, it seemed as though Kaneki was always a few steps ahead of him. Before Ayato could even manage to pounce on him, Kaneki had already long discarded his book, letting it drop callously to the floor with a thud as he grabbed the teen's wrists and pinned him down flat on his back.

"Ahh! How many times does this have to happen in one day?!" Ayato yelled at the top of his lungs. "Let me go!" He thrashed but to no avail.

Ayato's behavior was predicable on Kaneki's part and he smiled slightly as result, finding the other's actions endearing regardless of the violent intent behind them. "Not until you learn how to calm down."

"Like hell I will!"

"Then start getting used to this."

Ayato's breathed hitched at that moment, clearly put off by the other's reply and yet he couldn't help but find himself flushing deeply, his heart beating rapidly at the idea of being pinned down again and again by the half ghoul. No matter how hard he tried to disillusion himself from taking the other's words to heart, the expression Kaneki wore told him otherwise. He was serious from the looks of it and Ayato couldn't even laugh in spite at him.

Still, he had to try. "Y—you're bluffing!" He challenged him.

"No, I'm not." Kaneki replied, leaning down to his level this time.

The closer Kaneki's face fell towards him, the more nervous Ayato became. Time was persisting and even more so as Ayato's fighting spirit slipped from his grasp the moment he felt a pair of lips press softly against his. Impossible, he thought, and yet Kaneki's mouth moved gently, coaxing him into the kiss and Ayato's eyelids slipped closed as he pressed back. His movements were awkward at best but gradually he began understanding the push and pull of their bodies, the way Kaneki's form moved like water above him.

It sucked. It really sucked how easily he was pulled into the kiss but nevertheless, Ayato couldn't see himself stopping anytime soon as his mouth opened briefly with a squeak. That single window of time though, was enough for Kaneki to act and he slipped his tongue into the other's mouth. Ayato moaned instantly at the feeling as a result, his tongue sliding shyly against the others. He was half tempted to bite down on the wiggling appendage that swept around his mouth like an ocean wave but was stunned when he felt a thumb graze his cheek. One of his hands had been released, he was more than certain but he couldn't find it in himself to fight back as Kaneki's kiss deepened. Instead, he reached up until he was able to rest his hand on the back of the other's neck. Ayato had every opportunity to attack, to snap the half ghoul's bones with his natural strength and yet all he could do was bring Kaneki closer—so close that their teeth clanked and their bodies were pressed almost unimaginably close.

Ayato was royally screwed and in more ways than one…

X

X

Ayato honestly had no idea what their relationship had become after their first kiss. He recollected feeling intoxicated and hot but after a while of restless open mouth kisses and heavy petting, everything turned black on him and his mind stopped processing the memories after that. Kaneki explained after he'd woken up the next morning that he'd passed out, most likely from how heated the kissing session had become and it made Ayato feel all sorts of embarrassment. He hadn't intended for it to happen!

Still their interactions became rather strange to him. Alongside their status as partners during missions, Ayato supposed they were still considered 'partners' off missions as well. That had to be the correct term, right? He wondered. That or boyfriends but Ayato didn't see either of them being boyfriend material. It made the teen quiver just thinking about it too so he figured maybe, that emphasizing the word partners was a better alternative than boyfriend, or, dare he say it, lovers... Overall, Ayato couldn't very well define what they had as the kisses increased significantly day after day.

Sometimes it was a surprise peck when no one was looking. Other times a rush of pressing each other against the walls of an empty hallway or alley where they would pant desperately for air but still kiss hard like it was their last one. Ayato remembered the grinding of their hips, the way their fingers intertwined and the upside kiss he laid on Kaneki's lips when the half ghoul had been found napping on the couch. The memory of the older male's lips curving into a smile after that never left Ayato's mind and if anything else, he began to prefer the times when they took their actions slowly and savored each moment their lips touched.

He felt like he was a train wreck and as hard as he tried to get away, Ayato still trudged back to the half ghoul for more and more. It wasn't like Kaneki rejected him either and from the looks of it, he was almost encouraging Ayato's actions.

Ayato once tried to abstain from kissing, from touching, and from having anything to do with Kaneki but he could only go without him for so long until his body felt like it was relapsing. He barely lasted two weeks without having any contact whatsoever with the half ghoul and when he did break down, he didn't come out of Kaneki's room for three days. And in those three days of isolation from the rest of Aogiri, Ayato had stuck to Kaneki's side and lay in bed with him while Kaneki read his books. Sometimes he read aloud to him and then there were other times where he read in silence but he always stroked Ayato's head gently. It was the first time that Ayato could remember ever feeling so relaxed.

As much as they spent whatever free time they had off duty kissing and touching, it was only a matter of time before Kaneki began demanding more.

It started out like any other time they laid in bed making out. The touching became a given, rutting second and when their clothes began coming off, that was when Ayato began to fill with nervousness. It was almost a shame to admit his status as a cherry boy but Kaneki didn't seem to care as the urgency behind his kisses began to diminish.

"Is this your first time?" Kaneki asked, stopping short from his task of sucking the life from the younger ghoul's neck with his notorious mouth.

Immediately, Ayato whimpered, head turning to the side to avoid looking at the older ghoul face to face but from the corner of his eye, Kaneki looked far from amused at his sudden refusal to answer. On the contrary, he looked far from judgmental on the issue and from Ayato's silence, Kaneki seemed understanding enough and he moved to kiss the younger's forehead.

"It's okay because it's my first time too." Kaneki admitted and Ayato's eyes began to widen at the half ghoul's confession.

Despite what Kaneki said, Ayato's brain thought otherwise as his body began to unwind. If Kaneki really was a virgin, how the hell was he so confident in the way he sucked down his dick? He certainly didn't approach things like a virgin the way Ayato did as his back arched right off the bed with a gasp. Without even batting an eyelash, the half ghoul opened him up, licked him from the inside and out until his entrance was throbbing and yearning for more. The way he made his body feel was mind blowing and it didn't help that Ayato was a blabbering mess throughout the entire time. And before Ayato could even moan from the imminent explosion of orgasm, he was left positively speechless the moment Kaneki slid inside of him.

It wasn't fair how good his body felt as Kaneki thrust inside of him, moving hard and fast. It wasn't fair when his partner purposely changed the tempo on him and made him beg either. Ayato came twice as a result of all the teasing (he couldn't help himself) and when Kaneki's hips pounded down on him, jabbing his prostate repeatedly with the head of his member, he was in no state to protest when he felt a rush of warm semen fill him to the brim.

"Ayato…" Kaneki panted in his ear, rocking his hips several more times into the younger ghoul until he finally pulled out with a drawn out groan of satisfaction.

The feel of Kaneki sliding out of him completely left Ayato moaning breathlessly from the slick trail following out of him. There was no doubt in his mind how much he was going to feel the bruises and aches in the morning but for the moment he relished the remnants of having been so closely connected to Kaneki in a way no one else had. He was the first and in the back of his mind he couldn't help but feel incredibly smug.

Still panting above Ayato, Kaneki laid his head down just enough to lick around his neck. He pressed hot kisses and nipped softly at his skin. Dragging a warm tongue up the length of his throat, Ayato finally whimpered and Kaneki murmured against his damp skin, voice slightly muffled. "Ayato…" He said his name again and with much effort on the younger's back, Ayato lifted his head up slightly in response.

Despite being on the verge of losing consciousness, the call of his name was enough for the younger ghoul to reach out and embrace him. Kaneki sensed the weakness behind his movements but regardless he allowed himself to lay his head down gently at the fork between Ayato's slender neck and heaving chest. Affection like this was a rare occurrence, coming from Ayato and if he had to be greedy, than Kaneki didn't mind taking it at every given moment. It was surreal, basking together under the afterglow of sex and as Ayato's exhausted eyes fell shut, Kaneki watched him in silence, sleepy until he too joined him in slumber.

X

X

Ayato couldn't swallow the absurd notion that he was possibly in love with Kaneki Ken.

The teen hated it even more when Eto stared at the pair knowingly whenever they were in close proximity together too. And regardless of the bandages she used to conceal her face, Ayato could just barely make out the smirk underneath the material or the way her gaze seemed to fix on him even longer with delight. As much as he wanted to pummel her to a bloody pulp, he knew it was impossible considering her level and skill. It was a horrible match if not even worse if he were to be pitted against either Tatara or Noro.

With the frequent jabs being made towards him from Eto, the fluttering in his gut and the newfound softness he'd accumulated, Ayato's temper fluctuated between absolutely fierce to downright lethargic. Kaneki was lucky if he found himself in the middle or at the end of the teen's emotional spectrum but overall there seemed to be an increase in stone walls going up between them. When considering their past history of romantic partners—neither had much experience to fall back on either so when one exploded, the other had the tendency to either stay away or wait out the storm on most occasions.

From Ayato's stand point, the decisions Kaneki began making felt like it was deteriorating everything that'd led them up to where they were now. And he hated it…

"You love him, don't you Ayato?" Eto confronted him one day, her voice twinkling with amusement and it made him growl. "Just admit it already!" She sang, and before Ayato could bring out his ukaku, the female ghoul twirled on her heel only to skip backwards and run out of the room for safety.

As much as he wanted to chase her down, Ayato hadn't the strength to do so as he began reflecting on her words. As playful as they seemed, he felt a mixture of cruelty and disdain behind them as well. Love? He thought. It made no sense to him but he couldn't deny that he didn't feel the impact their actions thus far made on him.

It hurt Ayato in a strange way and though he wanted to confront the half ghoul on the difficulties he was having, maybe, possibly even allude to his true feelings, Ayato never got the chance. Because, to his disappointment, despite everything, at the end of the day, what they built up together during Kaneki's time in Aogiri Tree still couldn't compete against what the half ghoul once held so preciously from the past, he came to realize…

"Eyepatch!" Ayato screamed, beyond pissed that the half ghoul had the very audacity to ignore orders. Grabbing the other's forearm, he gripped the limp tightly. "What the hell is wrong with you? You were supposed to wait for us before coming to the 20th ward!"

Kaneki just barely gave the teen a glance, his gaze set on the road ahead. "I don't have time for this." He said, yanking his arm from the other's grasp. "I need to find the Anteiku staff, they need me."

Ayato took the time to notice Kaneki's refusal to look at him. It was so obvious to him now where he stood in the half ghoul's mind. As much as it upset him, Ayato's anger still prevailed in the end and he gripped his fists tightly in a ball until he was sure he was bleeding from the way his fingernails bit painfully into the palm of his hands.

"So you're abandoning Aogiri Tree I presume?" Ayato asked him, his voice tight.

Kaneki gave the teen no reply and it made Ayato's breath hitch. He didn't have to explain himself any further to him because Ayato just knew.

If his vision went misty, Ayato played it off as the snow's fault for falling into his eyes. "Fine! Get out of here you pussy! Abandon us for all I care, we never needed you in the first place!" He suddenly shouted.

With his back to Ayato, Kaneki flinched from the other's violent outburst before he stiffened considerably. The reluctance in his movements was apparent and the way his neck strained to look back at Ayato was noticeable but the teen felt far too angry to give a damn about the half ghoul's internal struggles. He had to save the ghouls of Anteiku from the CCG no matter what and yet he found it so difficult to move forward with Ayato glaring holes into his back, challenging him to make his next move.

"Ayato—"

"Fucker!" Ayato spat, cutting him off completely. "Leave already you traitor!" He howled. "You left Aniteku once to join Aogiri, I shouldn't have been surprised you'd leave us in the end too!" _Why are you leaving me_, Ayato wanted to say but his pride didn't allow the words to come out despite the heat of the moment.

And Kaneki, hesitant as he was felt his heart throb sadly at the venomous words dripping from the younger ghoul's mouth. It was true. He did leave Aniteku but now he was going back at the cost of leaving Aogiri Tree and Ayato… Go or stay? He thought to himself and as much as he felt the need to correct the teen on his accusations, the former needed him more. Ayato was strong after all, Kaneki was confident in him but Aniteku was different. Aniteku saved him from the very beginning…

Never once did he glance back at Ayato despite the urge to look at him one last time and just like he screamed at him, Kaneki ran forward without so much as a good bye.

"That's right, good riddance to you, fucker! Die, I never want to see your face ever again!" Ayato cried. And as the half ghoul kept running further and further away from him, Ayato finally stopped screaming profanities until he was long out of sight. Ayato wanted to believe he hurt him, he really hoped so but with the mission at hand, he didn't have the time to sulk any longer at what he'd lost or what could have been despite the emptiness that was beginning to pool inside of him.

X

X

Fighting came naturally to Ayato and he tore one ghoul investigator after another into pieces with murderous intent. They'd taken everything from him so it only made sense that he returned the favor a hundred times over. Die, die, die, his mind screamed over and over again and when he was left as the only one standing after annihilating his second platoon of enemies, he pointed his head up to the sky and inhaled the thick scent of blood and bodies. Life was cruel, happiness void and all around him, Ayato felt the caress of death sweeping through the streets.

His men were scattered, running amuck and destroying whatever they could in their path. That was fine with him, he thought, snorting behind his mask. Although he was likely to be reprimanded for leaving the battlefield, Ayato eventually left the scene in favor of trailing the growing smell of smoke coming from the direction of the coffee shop. It shouldn't have unnerved him the way it did but he went anyways; moving quickly much to his surprise and when he arrived it'd been just as his sister ran for what looked to be Kaneki Ken. Stupid aneki, he thought, watching burning debris from above crumple and fall. In that moment, he saved her, pushing the burning fragments away from her with the crystallized bullets of his kagune. Once he saw that she was safe if not slightly startled and uninjured for the most part, he left his place atop the wire pole before she could take notice.

Hidden and well out of sight, he watched solemnly as Touka once more ran after her former comrade (her special person? He didn't know but he seemed to understand her feelings as his heart throbbed considerably for the same individual as well). "Stupid aneki… Stupid Eyepatch…" he said, loathing the inner turmoil he felt as he did the unthinkable and followed after them.

Even after he'd said those things to the half ghoul, he still went after along and chased him down just the same as his sister.

Ayato didn't know what to expect, he had no idea what was going to happen either and when Touka was blocked by what's his face's name (he never bothered to remember) and Kaneki put himself within the CCG's sights, Ayato knew then that he too couldn't go any further either. Still, he watched from the shadows, his heart clenching tightly as Kaneki kept walking forward into enemy territory, to a place outside of his control. The motionless figure in his arms left Ayato alarmed, and even more shocking was how tenderly the half ghoul carried them. Something must have happened… Ayato didn't know what though and he couldn't tell what bothered him more… Not knowing what'd happened in the short time frame they'd been apart or not knowing who it was that Kaneki carried so preciously in his arms…

Still, more than anything else, one thing was clear to him and Ayato left his hiding place with a heavy heart as the words escaped him and left a bittersweet taste on his tongue. "You were never mine to begin with, were you?" He remarked sadly, more to himself if anything.

Ayato allowed himself one last glance, one last memory of the half ghoul for him to keep and bury deep into the back of his mind. He supposed he was a selfish brat that way, but for the moment he didn't care as Kaneki kept walking forward, never once looking back.

X

X

Two years later…

One moment, Sasaki was walking home, groceries in one hand and a new book in the other and then the next he was following the fresh scent of blood. Feet pounding against the pavement, he felt a rush of adrenaline and fear consumed him instantly. The scent of blood could have many connotations attached to it but in his field of work it could only mean the presence of humanity's sworn enemy... Ghouls...

Despite the fact that he was technically off duty, a ghoul was still a ghoul and Sasaki felt that it was only right that he take care of it lest he let it go to continue running wild through the city. Heart beating erratically in his chest, he winded through alleyways, taking note of the scent growing stronger the further he went into the wards back trails. He was getting close. That was good.

As Sasaki rounded another corner, he stopped dead in his tracks, observing the scene in front of him. There, hunched over a figure was the ghoul, already feasting on their kill much to Sasaki's sadness. He'd been too late to save someone's life and the thought struck him more than it should have. Pausing to place his belongings on the ground, he took the next second to pull out his quinque, Yukimaru. Odd as it was for him to carry it, but being a ghoul investigator meant danger was always lurking even when he wasn't on the job. With his weapon in hand, Sasaki narrowed his eyes at the target and rushed forward.

Of course he knew it wasn't going to be easy. Just as he moved to swing, the ghoul pounced up into the air, evading his attack gracefully. Sasaki watched in amazement as the small body twisted in midair, a brilliant red and black kagune bursting from its back like winged flames. An ukaku user, Sasaki thought and immediately he jumped back in anticipation as the first shots of crystallized RC particles were fired at him in quick succession.

Rolling out of the way, Sasaki looked up at his opponent, ready but he felt his breath hitch at the sight of the mask the ghoul wore. Immediately, his mind went to his mentor, investigator Akira Mado. "Black Rabbit..." He said under his breath before moving to avoid a second round of RC crystals.

Sasaki didn't count himself lucky to encounter such a foe. If his superior heard, he had no doubts how upset she was bound to be but at the very least, he felt it was necessary to roughen the ghoul up if not capture them for her to deal with personally. Still, something felt off to him about the supposed Black Rabbit... Or rather, something felt oddly familiar to him in the way they moved but Sasaki didn't have the time to dwell on such thoughts since the ghoul gave him no time to stop and think.

The battle was like a dance, where each attack was met blow for blow and dodge before dealing the next counter move. The best solution to combat an ukaku user was to wear it down and prolong the battle for as long as possible until they exhausted their RC supply. And Sasaki did his best to keep the ghoul moving, not letting them pause to take a breather.

When the ghoul landed on all fours, obviously panting, Sasaki bolted forward but the flame-like kagune didn't let up and instead began swirling around his opponent's form. It acted as a shield and when Sasaki went to swing, testing the water's so to speak, his hypothesis was correct and that the ukaku hardened beneath his quinque's strike. As a result he quickly swerved to the side; just barely avoiding another rain of RC bullets. Sooner or later the ghoul's ammunition was bound to run dry, Sasaki was certain but it was a question of when that was going to happen that left him slightly panicked since the ukaku user was exceptionally strong. Much stronger than what he was used to coming from the typical ukaku kagune type.

"Your smell…" The ghoul said, standing up slowly. "It's you isn't it?"

Taken aback, Sasaki's eyes widened. "What?" He murmured, caught off guard and for a second his mind went blank.

That single moment in time was enough for the ghoul to take him by surprise, slamming him against the building's side so hard that Sasaki felt like the breath had been quite literally knocked out of him. He also had to give the ghoul extra props for forcing Yukimaru from out of his hands but it didn't mean for a second that he was unarmed. Though he was winded it wasn't enough to stop him from calling upon his own kagune. Reluctant as he was to use it, the situation was dire and he felt an odd sensation form in the pit of his stomach as the appendage sprung from his lower back and his left turned red and black.

As Sasaki was moving in for the attack, he watched in absolute shock as the mask was ripped off by its owner. The ghoul was willingly revealing his face to him and Sasaki didn't know if he should call the guy crazy or stupid. Even more outrageous was when the male ghoul pressed his lips against his mouth, kissing him hard enough that his head knocked back into the wall behind him. Instantly his body went limp, kagune included as the ghoul in front of him forced his mouth open and slipped his tongue inside. The taste of blood filled his entire mouth and Sasaki winced from the sudden excitement his body felt from it as he swallowed down the flavor.

_More, more_ his mind seemed to scream and suddenly, Sasaki found himself kissing the ghoul back forcefully. Arms wrapped around his neck, and his own hands fell at the other's waist, gripping them tightly as he brought the small yet lean body towards him. His tongue swept the ghoul's entire mouth from bottom to top, licking away at the remnants of flesh and blood, from his lips, wherever he could get and the other whimpered, encouraging him on. Finger's pulled at the roots of his black and white tresses and Sasaki grunted, pressing their hips together and grinding down on the other sensually. The ghoul gasped, pulling their lips apart just a centimeter as he moaned out load and it was then that Sasaki took a moment to really see who he was up against—who it was that was kissing him so desperately…

"Beautiful…" Sasaki murmured and he watched as already flushed cheeks turned a shade or two darker. The ghoul's eyes were like most, sclera black and pupil's bright red. His hair on the other hand was wild, free flowing but long enough that it touched the tips of his shoulders, the color a dark indigo but against his complexion it made a nice contrast. It framed his face nicely and along with it Sasaki took note of the sadness that seemed to linger in the way his eyes softened at him as his lips turned into a frown.

"Ne, did you know that when rabbits get lonely, they can die?" The ghoul asked, his voice somewhat strained.

Sasaki's voice hitched, not understanding where the conversation was headed to from being asked such a question but the ghoul didn't give him any time to reply as he was kissed again, only this time tenderly. He hated to admit that he rather enjoyed it, even the way the ghoul's hand cupped his cheek and when the ghoul pulled back slowly, his expression conflicted looking, Sasaki had the strange sense that he was about to leave.

"See ya later, Kaneki…" He said, stroking his cheek. Looking down, he stepped back and lifted his mask back up to his face. This was it…

"Wha?" Sasaki panicked. "Wait!"

The unnamed ghoul just shook his head though; smiling sadly he proceeded to cover his face completely behind the mask. Sasaki's chest tightened for some odd reason and although he tried to reach out, the ghoul continued to step back until a great distance was placed between them. Before Sasaki could jump forward to stop him, the ghoul leaped into the air, using the sides of the building to help propel himself back and forth between the two as he climbed higher and higher until he made it to the very top of the structure. Sasaki squinted his eyes, observing the way the ghoul looked down at him one last time before disappearing entirely from sight.

Feeling his knees go weak, Sasaki lowered himself slowly to the ground, his heart racing over what had just transpired. He was speechless and confused. He had every opportunity to stop him, to stop the kiss from happening but his body reacted against his better judgement. And what probably scared him the most was that he had the vague sense that they knew each other at some point…

His mind raced despite the fact that there was danger in searching for an answer, but as hard as Sasaki tried to think of a name to match the ghoul's face, none came—only the heavy weight of disappointment in his inability to remember. The only thing Sasaki could go by was the fact that he did feel something, the need to see him again but when that would happen, he didn't know. All Sasaki could do was hope, hope for the day when he could corner the Black Rabbit and apologize for abandoning him if that was what the ghoul had implied behind his words…

* * *

**A/N:** I don't know, I feel like at some point this story ended up possessing me and just wrote itself while using me as a medium but I can safely say that this was kind of how I wanted to end it. Angsty, I know but Tokyo Ghoul:re isn't very far plot wise anyways so I want to wait since Ayato hasn't gotten much screen time either so it's hard to write when you take that into consideration. As always, thanks for reading (if you did)!


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